The Power of Positive Thinking to Reverse Aging!

Re: The Power of Positive Thinking to Reverse Aging!

Feb 7th, 2010

Quote: Originally Posted by talloola

Well, here's a thank you note, in advance.

Talloola - Yikes! Don't hurry...take LOTS of time - many years - to worry about that! I was just responding with a tongue-in-cheek R.I.P. to your post about being comfortable with mother earth (much) later on...

countryboy

#32

Re: The Power of Positive Thinking to Reverse Aging!

Feb 7th, 2010

Quote: Originally Posted by bill barilko

A positive attitude can help deal with the ravages of aging but as anyone who knows anything about nature knows death comes to us all.

Of course. Death is part of life.

JLM

#33

Re: The Power of Positive Thinking to Reverse Aging!

Feb 7th, 2010

Quote: Originally Posted by Cliffy

I have spent an number of years with native shaman and healers. I witnessed stuff that is considered outside the realm of possibility in our culture and science. I spent time with one of the most respected spiritual elders of the Cree people. I know from personal experience that, although our body may rot in the end, part of us continues in the web of life, in the circle of the Mother.

The elders refer to the Earth as the Mother because she is the source of all life living on this planet. She is a living entity without whose energy there would be no living things on this rock.

But our perception of reality is based on our beliefs about it, so those who hold to the rock of their beliefs will limit their perception and miss out on experiencing a much greater vision of reality. Dying is not the end of the journey, it is just another portal to another leg of it.

That is what makes sense to me, Cliff. This single existance just doesn't make sense to me. Most of us work at improving ourselves all our life, for what? There's answers out there and I don't think we stop until we've got them. VanIsle was saying Sylvia Browne is a phony, she could well be- there's a lot that are but I'm sure not all of them are. The wife and I sometimes watch a program where these psychics help solve murders, and these are real stories and the results speak for themelves. Not sure if there is any connection between them and the hereafter.

JLM

#34

Re: The Power of Positive Thinking to Reverse Aging!

Feb 7th, 2010

Quote: Originally Posted by VanIsle

JLM - we have talked about Sylvia Browne before. She is as phoney as all the rest. She has all the answers all right. She's a great actor. She just changes "her lines" every few years.I believe there is more than just dying and dust to dust etc. You cannot just be with a dying person who is yelling at their mother that they will soon be there and watch them die right then and not believe there is something. I know I've told you this story before but again, as I said before, that man sat upright in his bed with the strength of a lion and yelled something at what to me looked like a bare wall. Then he fell backwards on his bed only to rise up one more time and yell the same thing again. I didn't know what he was saying as he was Albanian. Another Albanian woman in the room told me that he was telling his mother he would be there soon. He rose up a second time with the same strength, yelled the same words and died! I talked with our minister (right there in Vernon) and he said there just has to be something. He said he had been with so many dying people and what I witnessed was not un-common. I've never been in a room with a dying person before or since. I know enough about the S. Browne's of this world to know she is phony! I don't believe that anyone can talk to dead people.

Quote has been trimmed, See full post:

I used to think the same from seeing her on T.V. but then I read some books my daughter in law had and I changed my mind a bit. She's got a lot of details that I don't think a phony would go to such depths for. Can't remember the names of the books as it was several years ago that I read them. I don't think she necessarily has everything right, but some of it she just might.

countryboy

#35

Re: The Power of Positive Thinking to Reverse Aging!

Feb 7th, 2010

Quote: Originally Posted by Cliffy

I have spent an number of years with native shaman and healers. I witnessed stuff that is considered outside the realm of possibility in our culture and science. I spent time with one of the most respected spiritual elders of the Cree people. I know from personal experience that, although our body may rot in the end, part of us continues in the web of life, in the circle of the Mother.

The elders refer to the Earth as the Mother because she is the source of all life living on this planet. She is a living entity without whose energy there would be no living things on this rock.

But our perception of reality is based on our beliefs about it, so those who hold to the rock of their beliefs will limit their perception and miss out on experiencing a much greater vision of reality. Dying is not the end of the journey, it is just another portal to another leg of it.

I don't spend a lot of time on all this stuff, but it sounds like the Cree believe in similar things to many Asian cultures. I'm not referring to any specific religion or country, as many of these beliefs go beyond borders and races.

I've had quite a few conversations with Japanese folks who are fascinated by our native people's spirituality and would love to know more about them. I was in no position to answer any of the questions as I don't have much experience or knowledge on those things. However, it seems that if there were ways to share this information in an acceptable way, it would likely motivate a fair number of foreigners to come and learn about native spirituality.

talloola

#36

Re: The Power of Positive Thinking to Reverse Aging!

Feb 7th, 2010

Quote: Originally Posted by countryboy

Talloola - Yikes! Don't hurry...take LOTS of time - many years - to worry about that! I was just responding with a tongue-in-cheek R.I.P. to your post about being comfortable with mother earth (much) later on...

OK, thanks, thought you were hurrying me along, I'm planning
a very long life, I'm considered old on paper I guess, but
if you knew me, and saw me, you would realize that I'm just
getting started, I've got lots to do and a long way to go,
the days just aren't long enough.

countryboy

#37

Re: The Power of Positive Thinking to Reverse Aging!

Feb 7th, 2010

Quote: Originally Posted by JLM

I used to think the same from seeing her on T.V. but then I read some books my daughter in law had and I changed my mind a bit. She's got a lot of details that I don't think a phony would go to such depths for. Can't remember the names of the books as it was several years ago that I read them. I don't think she necessarily has everything right, but some of it she just might.

I agree with you - and she's not alone in her experiences. I know folks over in Asia who have gone to hypnotists to gain some insight into their past lives. Most of us would think it's all a bunch of crap but these folks don't have a problem with reincarnation in the first place...it's part of their spiritual beliefs. Who's to say they're wrong? And the ones I know who did find out about their past lives had some interesting stories to tell.

Do I believe it's all true? Sure, why not? I figure they'be been at this a lot longer than we have - our knowledge is limited to what we can "prove" with our modern scientific methods. The thing is, we don't have all the answers but more important, how would we even know where (or how) to look for them?

countryboy

#38

Re: The Power of Positive Thinking to Reverse Aging!

Feb 7th, 2010

Quote: Originally Posted by talloola

OK, thanks, thought you were hurrying me along, I'm planning
a very long life, I'm considered old on paper I guess, but
if you knew me, and saw me, you would realize that I'm just
getting started, I've got lots to do and a long way to go,
the days just aren't long enough.

Good for you! I'm much the same way...can't understand why everyone I know is getting older while I continue to get younger!

Some people age faster than others, in many ways, and sometimes the only difference I can see in them is their attitude. Could it be the power of positive thinking can slow down the aging process? (Or least make it more fun?)...I think so!

JLM

#39

Re: The Power of Positive Thinking to Reverse Aging!

Feb 7th, 2010

Quote: Originally Posted by countryboy

I agree with you - and she's not alone in her experiences. I know folks over in Asia who have gone to hypnotists to gain some insight into their past lives. Most of us would think it's all a bunch of crap but these folks don't have a problem with reincarnation in the first place...it's part of their spiritual beliefs. Who's to say they're wrong? And the ones I know who did find out about their past lives had some interesting stories to tell.

Do I believe it's all true? Sure, why not? I figure they'be been at this a lot longer than we have - our knowledge is limited to what we can "prove" with our modern scientific methods. The thing is, we don't have all the answers but more important, how would we even know where (or how) to look for them?

There is just one problem, can't remember who it was but someone pointed out if there aren't statistics to go with the hypothesis, then they aren't true.

JLM

#40

Re: The Power of Positive Thinking to Reverse Aging!

Feb 7th, 2010

Quote: Originally Posted by countryboy

Good for you! I'm much the same way...can't understand why everyone I know is getting older while I continue to get younger!

Some people age faster than others, in many ways, and sometimes the only difference I can see in them is their attitude. Could it be the power of positive thinking can slow down the aging process? (Or least make it more fun?)...I think so!

If you can make the time walk 5 miles a day, it makes a huge difference. My family doctor when I lived in Grand Forks told me it will add 10 years to my life.

Kreskin

#41

Re: The Power of Positive Thinking to Reverse Aging!

Feb 7th, 2010

Quote: Originally Posted by JLM

So what do you think comes next? Must be something fairly substantial if you are looking forward to it!

A helluva good long sleep.

talloola

#42

Re: The Power of Positive Thinking to Reverse Aging!

Feb 7th, 2010

Quote: Originally Posted by countryboy

I agree with you - and she's not alone in her experiences. I know folks over in Asia who have gone to hypnotists to gain some insight into their past lives. Most of us would think it's all a bunch of crap but these folks don't have a problem with reincarnation in the first place...it's part of their spiritual beliefs. Who's to say they're wrong? And the ones I know who did find out about their past lives had some interesting stories to tell.

Do I believe it's all true? Sure, why not? I figure they'be been at this a lot longer than we have - our knowledge is limited to what we can "prove" with our modern scientific methods. The thing is, we don't have all the answers but more important, how would we even know where (or how) to look for them?

science will never find out anything about reincarnation,
it has nothing to do with facts and reality, it will never
be seen in a test tube, or show up anywhere, it is to do
with the imagination, science is all about curiosity and
proving theories, and finding hard results which can be
understood and make sense to others, reincarnation is only
for those who 'want' to believe it happens, but can never
actually prove it happens, but anyone who wants to believe
it, does.

Our minds are
so 'powerful', we can talk ourselves into believing anything
if we try hard enough, and people with great imaginations and the talent for writing can make up, or imagine many things, then transfer those ideas onto paper.

Just because we can't know anything after we die, doesn't
mean we have to keep our minds open to all sorts of mysterious things happening to us, or wonder what happens
to us, I have none of those things going on in my mind at
all. I know where I'm going, with no fear.

People can write anything in books, people will read them,
and either believe or not.

Many need to believe in reincarnation because it feels much
more comfortable than hanging around here for eternity
with no one paying attention to them, after they die,
personally I am happy to know that I will be here for
eternity, I can touch my earth, lay on it, jump on it,
grow my food on it, build my house on it, and use it for
my resting place after I die, pretty cozy.

countryboy

#43

Re: The Power of Positive Thinking to Reverse Aging!

Feb 7th, 2010

Quote: Originally Posted by Tonington

You can't will your body to continue to overturn cells and proteins. You can't control telomerase activity with your mind...

Well.....the article is chock full of big scientific words, but I understood the more mundane ones like "probably." There didn't seem to be a definitive conclusion to much on that page. I appreciate the fact that studies were done.

I don't know a thing about telomerase but I do know of a doctor who has successfully treated life-threatening conditions through nothing more than energy healing. His patients have never required proof other than the fact that they were healed. He uses focused energy to heal them. The method is quite simple - he places his hands on the patient for usually no more than 10 or 15 minutes. That's it. Oh, by the way, this doctor has a degree in medicine - his parents insisted on him going to med. school so he could understand anatomy and do a better job. You see, he had been healing all the neighborhood pets - just by touching them - when he was a little kid, and discovered as he got a bit older that he could heal people by simply touching them. Anyway, he's now in his early 60s and still healing people on a daily basis.

I know you don't believe this, and I wouldn't expect you to - you have no factual basis to do so. I was somewhat neutral on the subject until someone very close to me was introduced to this doctor just a couple of months ago. She had undergone a bunch of tests (including CTscan and MRI) and was scheduled for two major surgeries in January (last month). One was for removal of a giant fibroid "tumor" in her "lady parts", and the other was for removal of pollyps (sp?) in her colon, and they were suspected of being malignant. The expected recovery time for the surgeries was 2 months or so (the fibroid one would have been a biggy, as it was approx. the size of a small 5-pin bowling ball, although not in that particular shape!)

She went for a 20 minute treatment by this healer. He placed his hands on her (3 different places) and informed her she was now healed. He also told her she had a minor thyroid imbalance (which she didn't know about) and he fix that too. Being a bit of a skeptic, she went back to her regular doctors for follow-ups and, after another series of tests (including an MRI), was informed she no longer had any of these problems. The fibroid had shrunk to virtuallly nothing in a matter of two weeks. She went for another follow-up a bit later just to make sure...everything was gone. I won't go into the gory details, but the fibroid cells just "melted away" and were expelled from her body (in a very obvious way, she informs me).

It this fiction? No. Did it really happen that way? Yes. How do I know about this? Because it happened to my "better half", who is now making travel plans to get back home very soon. She had been in Japan late last year, taking care of her ailing father, when all this happened - including the original diagnosis. I had been scheduled to arrive there last month just before the surgery, but have since cancelled that trip as "the pressure is off."

I'm not at all concerned about who wishes to disbelieve it or make fun of it...couldn't care less. My point in telling this true story is that it has reconfirmed my long-held belief that we don't know everything and perhaps we never will. When I say I have an "open mind" on things that I don't understand or can't be explained by "conventional" methods, I'm saying it for a pretty good reason.

countryboy

#44

Re: The Power of Positive Thinking to Reverse Aging!

Feb 7th, 2010

Quote: Originally Posted by talloola

science will never find out anything about reincarnation,
it has nothing to do with facts and reality, it will never
be seen in a test tube, or show up anywhere, it is to do
with the imagination, science is all about curiosity and
proving theories, and finding hard results which can be
understood and make sense to others, reincarnation is only
for those who 'want' to believe it happens, but can never
actually prove it happens, but anyone who wants to believe
it, does.

Our minds are
so 'powerful', we can talk ourselves into believing anything
if we try hard enough, and people with great imaginations and the talent for writing can make up, or imagine many things, then transfer those ideas onto paper.

Just because we can't know anything after we die, doesn't
mean we have to keep our minds open to all sorts of mysterious things happening to us, or wonder what happens
to us, I have none of those things going on in my mind at
all. I know where I'm going, with no fear.

People can write anything in books, people will read them,
and either believe or not.

Many need to believe in reincarnation because it feels much
more comfortable than hanging around here for eternity
with no one paying attention to them, after they die,
personally I am happy to know that I will be here for
eternity, I can touch my earth, lay on it, jump on it,
grow my food on it, build my house on it, and use it for
my resting place after I die, pretty cozy.

Talloola, Couldn't agree with you more. A person believes what they believe, and it's really nobody else's business. Hell, we even have a Charter that guarantees our right to do just that. (Don't tell SirJP I said that, or he'll never let me live it down! )

SirJosephPorter

#45

Re: The Power of Positive Thinking to Reverse Aging!

Feb 7th, 2010

Quote: Originally Posted by JLM

pessimist

No, a realist.

SirJosephPorter

#46

Re: The Power of Positive Thinking to Reverse Aging!

Feb 7th, 2010

Quote: Originally Posted by countryboy

SirJP - You must have missed out on the parts of history that teach us about the body being more than just a physical object - you know, the spiritual part, to name one. In some cultures, they believe that you consist of body, mind, and spirit. Each one is part of your being.

I've seen different twists on this (body, mind, and soul) but they're mostly fairly consistent with each other, from what I've seen.

When you combine that with the beliefs that exist in the energy of the universe and how it is responsible for all life, it shapes up into something that seems to be quite understandable.

I donít believe in spiritual nonsense, countryboy, there is no evidence for it.

Quote: Originally Posted by countryboy

It all presents some interesting, if not fascinating possibilities about what life is all about, why we are here, and where we might be going after we're finished with the physical body.

These are all philosophical questions which are impossible to answer. Everybody has a different answer for it, depending upon his religious and spiritual beliefs. When the truth is so nebulous that anybody can believe anything about it (e.g. I can advance Applism with as much credibility as Christianity or Islam), at least in my opinion there is nothing at the bottom of it.

The default position is that there is no afterlife, unless somebody proves otherwise.

SirJosephPorter

#47

Re: The Power of Positive Thinking to Reverse Aging!

Feb 7th, 2010

Quote: Originally Posted by JLM

C.B. Did you ever read books by Sylvia Brown (the psychic)? Lot of stuff there to mull over. NOt sure just how valid all of it is, but she sure has the answers. She has already lived through over 60 incarnations and from what I could gather she figures she's on her last. I'm just wondering if the stupider you are the more you have to look forward to. I must be good for at least another 60.

What she is spouting is Hindu philosophy, JLM. Hindus believe that we go through several incarnations before we can achieve salvation. I havenít read her books, but from what you have written, it is just stale, rehashed Hindu version of afterlife.

SirJosephPorter

#48

Re: The Power of Positive Thinking to Reverse Aging!

Feb 7th, 2010

Quote: Originally Posted by countryboy

YI have a pretty open mind on this stuff, having lived over there for a number of years. There is lots we don't know, even if we think we know it all (although I can't think of anyone in particular like that at the moment!)...

Yes, about the open mind. In one of his stories, Asimov very accurately described this Ďopen mindí. Near as I can recall, he said

ďNow, Cullen was an intelligent Irish man. That is to say, he believed in the presence of fairies, pixies, little folk, leprechauns etc. and kept an open mind about vampires, werewolves, poltergeist and such foreign trash."

SirJosephPorter

#49

Re: The Power of Positive Thinking to Reverse Aging!

Feb 7th, 2010

Quote: Originally Posted by countryboy

Talking about "life after death" makes a lot of people very uncomfortable, but I've never figured out why.

I have never figured out why either, especially since there seems to be nothing to the business.

Quote: Originally Posted by countryboy

My opinion is that there must be more to it than just being a piece of meat that's here for a few years, and then planted to rot. Or get burned up. That seems to be a rather shallow version of it all, but maybe we're just not meant to know all these things. I figure that could be why it's a mystery to us - what's wrong with a little mystery? Keeps life (as we think we know it) more interesting.

There must be more to it? Why? What evidence do you have? Just because some religion says so? As far as I am concerned, the whole thing is nonsense. When I die, I am going six feet under (or turn to ashes if they burn what is left of my body after medical research) and that is the end of it.

JLM

#50

Re: The Power of Positive Thinking to Reverse Aging!

Feb 7th, 2010

Quote: Originally Posted by SirJosephPorter

What she is spouting is Hindu philosophy, JLM. Hindus believe that we go through several incarnations before we can achieve salvation. I havenít read her books, but from what you have written, it is just stale, rehashed Hindu version of afterlife.

Don't get me wrong, I have a pretty open mind when it comes to Sylvia Browne, but I think there is a good chance the Hindus may be on to something. We can't dismiss what we can't see- 160 years ago we couldn't see flipping a switch and having a room filled with light.

SirJosephPorter

#51

Re: The Power of Positive Thinking to Reverse Aging!

Feb 7th, 2010

Quote: Originally Posted by VanIsle

JLM - we have talked about Sylvia Browne before. She is as phoney as all the rest. She has all the answers all right. She's a great actor. She just changes "her lines" every few years.

Now why doesn't that surprise me?

SirJosephPorter

#52

Re: The Power of Positive Thinking to Reverse Aging!

Feb 7th, 2010

Quote: Originally Posted by VanIsle

I agree that it could be that. Really there are so many things it could be. You really had to have been there. I have never seen anything like that in my life and I have to tell you - it's on the spooky side! He was a Muslim and he sure wasn't calling for Allah!

That exactly is the problem, isnít it? There are so many things that it could be. When it comes to afterlife, anybody could say anything; there is no way to prove him false. To me, that is a strong indication that the whole thing is nonsense.

SirJosephPorter

#53

Re: The Power of Positive Thinking to Reverse Aging!

Feb 7th, 2010

Quote: Originally Posted by JLM

That is what makes sense to me, Cliff. This single existance just doesn't make sense to me.

Single existence doesn't make sense? Why?

Quote: Originally Posted by JLM

Most of us work at improving ourselves all our life, for what? There's answers out there and I don't think we stop until we've got them.

So what you are saying is that life isn't fair (if this is all there is to it). Well, duh. Why should life be fair, who meant to make it fair?

SirJosephPorter

#54

Re: The Power of Positive Thinking to Reverse Aging!

Feb 7th, 2010

Quote: Originally Posted by JLM

There is just one problem, can't remember who it was but someone pointed out if there aren't statistics to go with the hypothesis, then they aren't true.

No, the problem here is that there is no hypothesis, none that could be tested scientifically, only speculation, based upon some mystical writing somewhere.

SirJosephPorter

#55

Re: The Power of Positive Thinking to Reverse Aging!

Feb 7th, 2010

Quote: Originally Posted by Kreskin

A helluva good long sleep.

Indeed. Eternal sleep.

Cliffy

#56

Re: The Power of Positive Thinking to Reverse Aging!

Feb 7th, 2010

When it comes to spiritual matters, I think of the line from the Lovin' Spoonful: "It's like trying to tell a stranger about rock & roll."

A person is either drawn to it or they are not. I read last night that the aboriginal people do not teach people about their spirituality, they share it with them. You don't go to class, you participate in ceremony. That was my experience. My teacher taught by example. He allowed me to witness. What I learned was that integrity is the single most important ingredient in a genuine life.

Cliffy

#57

Re: The Power of Positive Thinking to Reverse Aging!

Feb 7th, 2010

Part of the problem in this discussion is the definition of life. Life is not the movement of material things like our bodies or that of birds, animals, fish or even plants. Life is the energy that animates all living things. Life is a continuum and we are but one small aspect of that continuum. The life force inherent in all living things is measurable and quantifiable. When something dies, that energy is transmuted into other life forms as the body decays. Nothing is gained or lost, just changes. So in that way, we never die.

Tonington

#58

Re: The Power of Positive Thinking to Reverse Aging!

Feb 7th, 2010

Quote: Originally Posted by countryboy

I don't know a thing about telomerase but I do know of a doctor who has successfully treated life-threatening conditions through nothing more than energy healing.

When your DNA replicates, replication starts somewhere in the middle of a strand, telomeres are the sequences on the end of single strands. In the sequence, there are primers which attach, and later another enzyme will come along to convert the primers into DNA. This is the template if you like for creating new DNA for your overturning cells. The last primer on the end of a strand does not get converted however, and so every time your DNA replicates, the strand shortens. The loss from replication is not quite as large as the loss from oxidative stress. So living well can help somewhat, but it won't reverse this aging process.

Telomerase is simply the enzyme which maintains telomere length. In humans, it's not a functioning enzyme is most of your somatic cells (growth and maintenance) so as time moves on, those cells have a finite ability to replicate due to the problem of shortening strand length due to replication. Information is lost with time, and this is one part of determining how long your body can continue to maintain it's cells, tissues, and ultimately organs and systems.

Quote:

I'm not at all concerned about who wishes to disbelieve it or make fun of it...couldn't care less. My point in telling this true story is that it has reconfirmed my long-held belief that we don't know everything and perhaps we never will. When I say I have an "open mind" on things that I don't understand or can't be explained by "conventional" methods, I'm saying it for a pretty good reason.

I'm inherently skeptical of all stories like this, especially when the case is suspected of being something, and not confirmed. Of course there's lots we don't know, but one thing I know is that positive thinking doesn't reverse the aging process. You can't gain back that genetic information that is lost by thinking nice thoughts...

JLM

#59

Re: The Power of Positive Thinking to Reverse Aging!

Feb 7th, 2010

"Of course there's lots we don't know, but one thing I know is that positive thinking doesn't reverse the aging process."..........................FOR YOU.

SirJosephPorter

#60

Re: The Power of Positive Thinking to Reverse Aging!

Feb 7th, 2010

Quote: Originally Posted by Cliffy

Part of the problem in this discussion is the definition of life. Life is not the movement of material things like our bodies or that of birds, animals, fish or even plants. Life is the energy that animates all living things. Life is a continuum and we are but one small aspect of that continuum. The life force inherent in all living things is measurable and quantifiable. When something dies, that energy is transmuted into other life forms as the body decays. Nothing is gained or lost, just changes. So in that way, we never die.

Quite so, Cliffy. That is also the generally held scientific view, that life is a continuum, without beginning or end. We donít really know when life begins (that is why the prolifers, who claim that life begins at conception, are out to lunch).